Celebrities mourn death of U.S. music superstar Prince

Some of the world's top music stars, politicians and celebrities mourn the late musician Prince on social media. Rough cut (no reporter narration).

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The sudden death of music legend Prince sent shockwaves through social media on Thursday, as masses of Twitter users flooded the site to express their heart-felt emotions. Actors, musicians and celebrities quickly jumped on social media, sending tributes and messages of sadness as news of the singer's death hit media outlets. "I Miss My Brother. Prince Was A Funny Cat. Great Sense of Humor" wrote Spike Lee. "Numb. Stunned. This can't be real," added pop star Justin Timberlake. In the first five hours after news broke of his death, 25 million people had 61 million Facebook interactions related to his legacy, said a spokeswoman for the social media site. "Prince" became the top-trending term on Twitter worldwide shortly after his death was reported, with more than 6 million tweets paying tribute to the musician. "I'm Crushed!! UK news reporting Prince is Dead?! For Real?! Massive Loss for us all! What a Genius! Speechless" wrote Samuel L. Jackson. The Musician Katy Perry also paid tribute to the 'Purple Rain' musician, writing, "And just like that...the world lsot a lot of magic. Rest in peace Prince!" Billy Idol tweeted that Prince was a 'great great talent'. "He Changed The World!! A True Visionary," tweeted Madonna "What a loss. I'm Devastated." "God bless this creative giant. Thanks Prince," tweeted former Beatle Paul McCartney. Celebrities around the globe used social media to highlight the singer and his influential, genre-defying music combining jazz, funk, R&B and disco. Prince won seven Grammy awards and an Oscar. Prince first found fame in the late 1970s, and over the next three decades became known as one of the most inventive and eccentric forces in American pop music. Prince, born Prince Rogers Nelson, was a beloved icon in his home state of Minnesota.

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